Biden on Stimulus: ‘Never Thought It Would Work This Well’

Vice President Joe Biden delivered a rousing review of the government’s economic stimulus plan in a conversation with the nation’s governors. “In my wildest dreams, I never thought it would work this well,” he said. “Thank you, thank you.”

Biden oversees the $787 billion spending program, a centerpiece of the Obama administration’s economic recovery effort. He was speaking on a conference call with 55 governors, territorial officials or their designees, who next month must report to the White House on how many jobs were created or saved by stimulus money.

“What you guys are doing is having an impact on the economy…knock wood,” said Biden, punctuating it with the sound of knocking ostensibly on a wooden surface.

The session lasted 45 minutes, but there was time for only four questions from governors. They were parceled out in bipartisan fashion to Republicans Jim Douglas of Vermont and Haley Barbour of Mississippi and Democrats Jay Nixon of Missouri and Martin O’Malley of Maryland.

Biden apologized. “I’m not sure how we picked the governors…except that Jim Douglas is the chairman of the National Governors Association and O’Malley is Irish.” (Biden told the group twice that he is also Irish.)

Nixon asked Biden whether states could have a bit more time to fact-check the job numbers before they’re released to the public. Not really, Biden told him, adding that states weren’t being asked to do any more reporting than corporations do all the time. But not to worry, he said; he he knows the information is “not going to be perfect.”

Nixon thanked the vice president for his work on the stimulus. “I cannot tell you how much we appreciate your…interest,” he said.